The Perils of Ann
by Winter's She-Wolf
Summary: Oneshot. Ann is leaving Spence to become a governess for her aunt and uncle. As she gets ready to go she thinks back on Tom and what could've been.


Authors Note: This is based of the subplot of Ann Bradshaw from A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angles by Libba Bray. It takes place after Rebel Angels with Ann about to leave school to become a governess. I took the title from the book Ann was reading in AGATB. Obviously.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

The Perils of Ann

Ann Bradshaw, the scholarship student, the poor relation, the pitied one among her friends, was now about to fulfill her destiny and become what she was born to be: a governess for her two spoiled cousins.

Her story was nothing like The Perils of Lucy or any other sentimental fairytale. There was no Duke of Chesterfield to find her and claim her as a lost relation and heiress of a large fortune. And the hope that Tom Doyle would rescue her from this sad fate was dead. In fact, Ann killed it herself.

"But it was worth it," she thought to herself as she packed her few belongings in preparation for the trip to her aunt and uncles home.

Destroying what very little hope there had been for Tom to notice her and fall madly in love was with her, as happened in her novels, was worth those two happy weeks of finally being somebody, somebody important who wasn't invisible. They finally saw her. Tom saw her and not just as his sisters friend but as someone worth talking to, worth dancing with, worth applauding.

It didn't matter if those wonderful things had things only lasted two weeks nor that they weren't for her but for who he thought she was. Ann was willing to take what she could get, even knowing that it wouldn't last.

But some of the attention and praise was meant for her and only her.

When all of London society was held spellbound by her voice and applauded with real delight at what they had just experienced, Tom the loudest and most passionate among them, that was really for her, Ann Bradshaw, Mademoiselle Scholarship, not for the distant relation of the Czarina. Only for her and her own gifted voice.

That part of her Christmas in London experience was the most precious of all. The way Tom looked at that moment, with eyes and ears only for her… Because of that one moment the holiday season would never be the same for her. It would always be a time to think of what could have been if only her lies had been the truth, if when he had found out the truth he'd loved her anyway, if she wasn't fat and ugly but beautiful like Pippa, if she wasn't just some poor relation, if she was somebody, anybody but herself, if, if, if… But she was herself. She was Ann Bradshaw, the girl who found comfort in food and cut herself to prove that she could feel.

Finished gathering together her few belongings, Ann trudged out the door of her former bedroom and headed down the stairs singing softly the song she sang that night at the Worthington's party, now the most romantic song she knew despite it's very none romantic message.

"Oh holy night!  
The stars are brightly shining  
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!  
Long lay the world in sin and error pining  
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.  
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices  
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!"

"Isn't that a bit out of season Ann? It is practically spring," interrupted Felicity, who was standing in the parlor in front of the doors waiting to bid her farewell with Gemma. The image of Tom bringing his hands together for her faded at the sight of her two only friends.

Gemma nudged Felicity and came forward, arms outstretched to embrace her friend. "We'll miss you. Going into the realms won't be the same at all. I don't know if we can enjoy it as much without you there with us."

Ann knew she was lying but let herself stay in the embrace of her would be sister-in-law. They pitied her, she knew. She was nothing more then a hanger-on to them, a charity case and little more.

Felicity was next with her round of sorrow and lies. Until a few months ago she had been nothing but a tormentor to Ann for years and now, because of Gemma, it was like they were life long friends. She wasn't sure whether to thank her benefactress for this or scorn her. On one hand she felt like she belonged even for just a little while. But it had also helped feed her dreams and false hopes of something better.

She would do neither. That cursed blessing was just like her two weeks of importance: something that did her no good but gave her happy memories for years to come.

Thinking of those cherished memories Ann ascended into the carriage and closed the door behind her. With images of Tom, the realms, and her friends running through her mind, Ann went forward to her destiny of servitude.


End file.
